Thursday, August 31, 2006

Charlie's first words this morning were "I cold."

When I give the birds baths, I always offer to let them stand on a perch in front of their personal fan heater, something like this, to dry. I ask, "Are you cold?" then extend my hand for the bird to step up.

Charlie has picked up the word without a notion of what it means.

How do you teach a bird the concept of cold? Without resorting to the old parrot joke?

Tuesday, August 29, 2006

Charlie's keel (breast) has healed, but the boy will go to the vet tomorrow.

His flight feathers are coming in.

He took a notion to reach my shoulder yesterday, flew into my middle back, and clung to the shirt I was wearing. That was similar to being hit between the shoulder blades with a thrown football. Go tigers.

I have looked at hundreds of dresses, and for my purposes this is the one I like best, and it's a little too long. $49. I was looking for something in the $200 price range.

It can be shawled or belted or scarved. It goes with my jewelry. It has the 3/4 sleeves, the v-neck, the long flowing skirt without bulk. It can be worn with boots (which I don't wear), flats, heels, slings, mules.

I just wonder about the fabric.

And if you wind up searching for a dress, bluefly.com has a huge selection at discount prices.

But I'm not done yet. There's a world of blouses and tops and belts out there. In addition to my pencil skirt, I have a good-looking black knife-pleated skirt (1991).

I don't think I'll be buying from Neiman's. And for spring, I think I'd like something in a brighter color. Just looking around.

I own a perfectly good black pencil skirt (with a proper kick pleat from haberdas-her, not a slit, from 1984) that will look fine with a shell and a jacket, if I want.

UPDATE: The wedding will be in early March, in the evening. The black dress is looking good. Now, if I can find it or something similar for a third of that price, I'll be in good shape. Suggestions?

UPDATE: Looking at the profiles, Terry is right. With my short hair, as opposed to the longer stuff pulled back in a bow, for architecture I need a slimmer profile, but still one that covers the knees. I'm still looking for the black dress. Not a cheap black dress, and one that will go anywhere. No beads, no bows, no embroidery, no lace and no brocade.

I haven't bought a pretty dress since 1990, before I had my hair cut. I wore an 8, last I checked.

In a small skillet heat the oil over moderate heat until it is hot but not smoking, add the red pepper flakes, and cook them, stirring, for 10 seconds. Add the garlic and cook it, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the scallion and the rosemary and cook the mixture, stirring, for 10 seconds. Stir in the bread crumbs and salt and pepper, to taste, and remove the skillet from the heat. Mix the mayonnaise and mustard in a small bowl, set aside.

Heat an ovenproof skillet over moderately high heat until it is hot and in it brown the lamb, seasoned with salt and pepper, turning it for 5 minutes, or until the sides and the ends are browned evenly. Pour off any fat from the skillet, arrange the lamb, fat and meat side up, and brush with mayonnaise/mustard mixture. Then pat the crumb mixture evenly on the fat and meat side of the lamb.

Bake the lamb in the middle of a preheated 475 degree oven for 15 minutes, or until a meat thermometer registers 130 degrees for medium-rare meat. Transfer the lamb to a platter, let it stand, uncovered, for 10 minutes.

We also ate Mushrooms Mireille from the Plantation Cookbook, a New Orleans Junior League production.

For this one, we found some substantial mushrooms. I wound up with 2 cups of crab after picking out shell particles. I upped the other ingredients by a third, and could stuff about 30. We're talking large button mushrooms here, not portabellas.

Crudites, grilled asparagus, and red grapes filled out the menu.

UPDATE: For you parents out there. We were talking about teenagers. Our girl said, "I said about five words to my mother when I was a teenager, and they were all rude."

Monday, August 07, 2006

Looks good to me, and I can fake my way through most of it. Take a look at the recipe if you will, and offer a substitute for the black mustard seeds. Yellow seeds I can do. They're often used in pickling and preserving around here.

I've e-mailed Chef Mojo, but he doesn't know me and he's a busy man who might take some time getting back to me.

(Of course Jordana and kitchen hand are idle slumps who can and will leap to my every beck and call. Chef Tony?)

UPDATE: Chef Mojo says yellow seeds are fine. And he didn't list an ingredient -- 1 tablespoon of black peppercorns to be ground with the other spices.

If you want to do something organic and scary for Halloween, consider using pistachio shell halves as fingernails on cakes or cookies. I bet they could be dyed to any desired color with food dye. Of course, they're too tough to eat.

I came upon this idea when a slimy one popped out of the garbage disposal. Arghhh!

Sunday, August 06, 2006

Saturday, August 05, 2006

The Marketplace had a good crowd this morning.

We arrived after the contest was over and as the demonstration was beginning. On the way to join the group we met Jane, who offered us a roasted garlic-prosciutto-parmesan biscuit. Not a bad way to start the day, even if she didn't place.